Tag Archives: 1970

1970 Families flee gas plant blasts

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From the Daily Express, 24th September, 1970

EXPLOSIONS roared through a gas bottling plant last night – and the bangs could be heard over half of London.

From Middlesex to Farnborough, Kent, people were roused by the blasts. The glow from the flames could be seen in Putney.

THE BLASTS at the plant in Church Road, Mitcham, hurled pieces of molten cylinders high in the air.

No one was injured but 100 firemen who raced to the scene from all over South London faced the hazard of a broken gas supply main.

HOMES

They quickly brought a fierce fire in the two-storey factory itself under control, however. Fifty families were evacuated from houses most closely affected. A police spokesman said more might have to be moved from a nearby council estate.

THE SOUND of the explosions were heard as far away as Epsom, Wandsworth, and Bromley.

Streets around the area were littered with chunks of gas canisters, several of which were hurled over 300 yds, and lay hissing in the streets while firemen doused them with foam.

Mr Brian Courtney, an ambulanceman in Caterham 10 miles away, said : “The sky was bright red lighting up everything for miles.”

AT 1 A.M. gas cylinders were still exploding. An adjoining factory was badly damaged and neighbouring shopfronts were blown in.

1970 Rutted footpath of Moffat Gardens

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From the Mitcham News & Mercury
16th January, 1970

A RUTTED footpath fronting properties in Moffat Gardens, Mitcham, badly needs repairing – but no one has yet been able to agree who should finance the work.

The trustees of five of the eight houses in Moffat Gardens recently suggested that Merton Council might improve the foot-path which runs from Church Road.

“We would be willing to contribute £10 per property towards the cost of such work,” the trustees have told the council. Interested departments of the council ought to finance the rest of the work, the trustees thought.

It was felt the education committee might have an interest in seeing the path put in order as it led on to a side entrance way to Benedict Junior School.

And the housing committee should have an interest in making good the path as they managed three properties which had been acquired in Moffat Gardens by Merton Council.

Merton Borough surveyor, Mr. C. H. French, had indicated that work to this footpath could not be undertaken by the council as highway authority. But he suggested improvements mights be carried out if the trustees, the housing committee and the education committee — in respect of schoolchildren using the footpath — contributed on a proportionate basis.

Chief Education Officer, Mr, Ronald Greenwood, reported, however, that it appeared that only children actually residing in Moffat Gardens would need to use this footpath.

And so the education committee have backed a resolution by their general purposes
sub-committee that “in view of the comparatively small use made of this footpath by schoolchildren, the sub-committee feel unable to contribute towards the cost of improvement works.”

The housing committee views on the matter are expected next week.